Reincarnated with a Country Creation System

In the heart of Valoria's capital city, Prince Theodore Triesenberg sat in a busy coffee shop within one of the city's large malls. It was an unusual place for a member of royalty to be, but the Prince enjoyed blending in with the crowd from time to time.

His security detail, dressed as ordinary civilians, kept a close but discreet watch, making sure the Prince remained safe without drawing attention.

Prince Theodore took a sip of his frappe, enjoying the cold, sweet drink, and smiled as he reached for a cookie. Across from him sat Lord Reginald, his trusted advisor. The Prince seemed relaxed, far removed from the weighty matters of state that usually occupied his time.

"Reginald, you should really try these cookies," Theodore said, holding out the plate. "They're surprisingly good."

Lord Reginald, ever the serious one, gave a polite nod. "Perhaps later, Your Highness. I'm more concerned with the developments in Zambesi."

The Prince sighed, setting the plate back down. "Always business with you, isn't it?" He took another sip of his drink before adding, "Alright, let's talk."

Reginald leaned forward, his expression serious. "Valoria's recall of their personnel has left Zambesi in a state of unrest. King Mwanga has begun looking for new alliances, and I believe he might approach Triesenberg next."

Theodore raised an eyebrow. "Mwanga? Coming to us? That's unexpected. Valoria cutting ties with him must have really shaken things up. But why would he think Triesenberg would be interested?"

"The oil reserves," Reginald replied simply. "It's no secret that Zambesi has discovered vast oil fields. Any nation would want a piece of that."

The Prince leaned back in his chair, thinking. "Ah, yes, the oil. That explains Valoria's sudden withdrawal. They don't want to get involved in any trouble, especially if it risks their image. But oil is something we could use….I think I remembered questioning the leader of Valoria about this happening, that if their allies were to act opposite to theirs?"

"And here we are," Theodore said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Valoria, as expected, has left Mwanga to fend for himself."

Lord Reginald nodded. "Indeed, Your Highness. It seems their morality won out over practicality. But it presents an opportunity for us. Zambesi's oil could be a valuable asset, but we must tread carefully. Aligning with King Mwanga, given his methods, could damage our reputation."

The Prince tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thinking it over. "Reputation or resources—it's always one or the other, isn't it? The oil would strengthen Triesenberg's energy reserves and boost our influence in the region. Plus we are not Valoria, if they were to act opposite to what we want them to act then we will simply colonize them entirely."

"We can do just that," Lord Reginald said, chuckling. "Now how was your trip around their mall?"

"Well, I'm quite surprised by the amenities that this establishment has to offer. They have everything: department stores, clothing stores, cinema. They are too advanced for an isolated nation, making me so interested in their origins. It's clear that Valoria has adopted more than just diplomatic strategies from the greater world. Their consumer culture has developed impressively.

It makes you wonder how an isolated nation managed to create such an advanced establishment."

Lord Reginald nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, Your Highness. It's remarkable how quickly they've adapted, but also somewhat troubling. Valoria's outward display of modernity doesn't always match the political mess they've left behind. They may appear progressive here, but pulling out of Zambesi tells a different story."

Theodore tilted his head, still lost in thought. "It's their indecision that cripples them, Reginald. They hesitate, they second-guess. They want to appear morally superior, but they lack the strength to follow through when it counts."

Reginald smiled faintly. "Their withdrawal from Zambesi proves that. Valoria is afraid of getting its hands dirty, but they are also afraid of losing face. It's why they abandoned Mwanga—too afraid of backlash."

The Prince glanced around the cafe again, watching the people who seemed blissfully unaware of the political movements happening around them. "Which is where we come in. If Valoria is too weak to capitalize on Zambesi's resources, then we'll do it for them. And unlike Valoria, we won't hesitate."

Reginald's voice lowered, though his eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Mwanga's desperation will work to our advantage. Zambesi is rich with oil, but without Valoria's support, they'll need to secure powerful allies. We position ourselves as that power, and in return, Zambesi opens its reserves to Triesenberg. But we need to be careful about the reactions of Valoria.

If we were to go in right after they left. They might see it as an act of provocation. If we step in too soon, Valoria could accuse us of opportunism, or worse, undermining their influence in the region."

"True. We must be strategic in our approach. We can't afford to appear too eager. Valoria may have pulled out of Zambesi, but they're still a major player. We should approach this carefully and ensure they don't view us as a threat, at least not yet."

Reginald leaned forward slightly, his voice low but firm. "Perhaps we could begin with indirect support. We don't need to march into Zambesi with banners waving. Instead, we could offer technical aid, infrastructure investments, or military advisors under the guise of modernization. That way, we establish a presence without openly declaring an alliance.

By the time Valoria realizes what's happening, it'll be too late for them to act."

Theodore's eyes gleamed with interest. "I like that. It allows us to test the waters while minimizing risks. We can offer Mwanga what Valoria never could—real support. In return, we gain access to their oil reserves without overtly challenging Valoria."

Lord Reginald smiled. "Exactly, Your Highness. Slow and steady wins the race. We maintain plausible deniability while strengthening our position in the region."

"Mwanga will jump at the opportunity. He's desperate, and desperate rulers make deals they wouldn't normally consider. We just need to make sure we're ready when the time comes."

Reginald stood, adjusting his coat. "I'll begin drafting a proposal for our approach, something that looks innocent on the surface but gets us what we need in the long run."

"Good," Theodore replied, standing up as well. "Let's move forward carefully, but let's not waste time either. Zambesi's oil is too valuable to ignore, and Valoria's hesitation is our opportunity."

As they prepared to leave the cafe, the Prince looked around one last time. He enjoyed the moments of normalcy he could find in places like this, but he knew that his life was anything but ordinary. The world was shifting, and Triesenberg needed to be at the forefront of that change.

***

Meanwhile, not far from them, Julieanne and Alexander were watching from the opposite side of the coffee shop where Prince Theodore and Lord Reginald were having a conversation.

"According to our spies in the area, they were talking about…capitalizing on the situation in Zambesi," Julieanne continued in a hushed voice, her eyes fixed on Prince Theodore and Lord Reginald. "They're planning to step in where Valoria pulled out, possibly offering support to Mwanga in exchange for access to the oil reserves."

Alexander nodded slowly, his expression unreadable as he stirred his coffee. "So Triesenberg is making its move. I expected as much. Valoria's withdrawal left a power vacuum, and Mwanga's desperation is too tempting for them to resist."

Julieanne leaned in closer, lowering her voice even more. "They're playing it smart. They won't rush in headfirst and risk drawing attention. It sounds like they're planning to provide indirect support first—technical aid, infrastructure, maybe even military advisors. They'll try to establish a foothold without raising alarms."

Alexander's eyes narrowed. "Clever. They know Valoria's watching. Theodore won't make a blatant move until he's sure Valoria won't react. He'll ease his way in, slowly tightening his grip on Zambesi's resources."

Julieanne gave a small nod. "It's exactly what we feared. If Triesenberg gains control of Zambesi's oil, they'll strengthen their influence in the region, and Valoria will lose a valuable strategic partner."

"Well don't sweat it because the reason why we left is us making a point to the Kingdom of Zambesi. To see what would happen if they were to not follow the orders given to them by their allies and now they're seeing the consequences of defiance," Alexander finished. "We withdrew knowing full well that it would leave Mwanga desperate.

The moment he looks for other alliances, especially with Triesenberg, it will expose just how fragile his position is."

"So, you're suggesting that this was the plan all along? To let Mwanga flounder and eventually come crawling back to Valoria?"

"Precisely," Alexander replied, his gaze unwavering. "Mwanga thinks he can court Triesenberg, but we know Triesenberg isn't going to step in openly just yet. They'll try their cautious approach, but that leaves us plenty of room to maneuver. Our hands remain clean while we keep them under pressure."

Julieanne nodded slowly. "We watch them get comfortable, then remind them who holds the real power."

Alexander's expression darkened. "Exactly. The oil reserves in Zambesi are valuable, but not so valuable that we can afford to sacrifice our principles—at least not openly. We'll allow Theodore to make his play, but at the moment we choose, we'll step back in and tighten our grip once again."

Julieanne smiled faintly. "So, you're saying we let Triesenberg make the first move. Once they're too involved to back out, we expose them."

Alexander looked at her with a hint of amusement. "It's all about timing, Julieanne. We've positioned ourselves to watch both Mwanga and Theodore. As soon as either of them oversteps, we make our move."

Julieanne took a sip of her coffee, her eyes never leaving the two men across the shop. "Then let's wait for the moment they slip. Because when they do, we'll be ready."

Alexander smiled coldly. "We always are."